Just got your first corset but feeling unsure how to put it on? Or you're uncertain if you're getting the best fit? Follow the instructions below to get the best from your corset, including how to avoid some of the common mistakes.

Putting a corset on is much easier (and more fun!) with someone else helping you, but it is possible to put your corset on by youself.

Start with your corset very loosely laced at the back - usually you will have 8 inches (20cm) or more of loose lacing. Wrap it around yourself. If you are putting your corset on by yourself then you will need to hold it up with your arms at your sides.

Carefully line up the two sides of your busk on the front of the corset - the 'busk' is the pair of metal plates that clip together at the front. Line up the pins and the holes and clip the busk together.

If you are putting on a bodice you will likely have lacing or possibly no front fastening at all. Don't worry, just move straight on to the next step!

Returning to the back of the corset, it's now time to start tightening the lacing.

Starting from the top, pull the laces a little tighter then move the loose lace down until it reaches the large loops at the middle of the lacing holes.

Next, go to the bottom of the lacing and pull the laces tighter there. Again, work the loose loops of lacing up through the corset to the large loops in the middle.

Alternate the above steps, working the top half of the lacing tighter then working the bottom half of the lacing tighter.

Do not try to get the sides of the corset to meet! Some doctors have suggested that it could potentially be damaging to have the rigid structure of the corset directly over the vertebrae of the spine. Always leave a minimum of an inch between the sides of the lacing.

Try to keep the sides of the corset roughly parallel. When you are finished lacing the sides should both be vertical with all the lacing connections of equal length.

After a few repeats you will find the corset has reached a comfortable point, like being hugged tightly. To begin with, until you are accustomed to wearing corsets, you may want to stop here but if you decide to wear your corset frequently you will find that you are able to tighten the corset further. Again, please do not be tempted to make the sides of the lacing meet over your spine - always leave a small gap.

Tie off the loose lacing on the back of your corset. You have a few options of how to do this. A large bow knot looks good, but some people prefer to wrap the loose lacing around their waist once before tying it off at the back. This will make it possible to tie a smaller bow to secure the lacing, but some people believe that this increases the wear on the laces, making them more likely to break sooner.

If you are wearing the corset out socially then you should tie a double knot. This will make the corset harder to remove at the end of the night, but a single bow can prove to be too tempting for some people!

Enjoy wearing your corset!

How to avoid 'muffin-top'. Muffin-top is a phrase used to describe unsightly rolls of skin above the corset. This most commonly happens when the lacing on the top and bottom of the corset is tightened without adequately working the loose lacing into the middle. It's easy to spot - the holes of the lacing form an eye-shape, far closer together at the top and bottom of the corset than they are in the middle. The effect can be alleviated or minimised by working the lacing so that the lacing holes are in two vertical lines on the back (not two lines that curve to meet together at their ends). Sometimes the muffin-top effect is unavoidable to a degree - the best solution ultimately is to get a made to measure corset that matches your body size perfectly. In the meantime, getting your corset's lacing right will be a big help!

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